According to a special Eurobarometer survey, Europeans are worried about the effect of air pollution on health and the environment. Most respondents are clearly in favour of an European approach that improves air quality and say that EU air quality standards should be strengthened.

Key findings of the survey:

Most Europeans think that health conditions such as respiratory diseases (89%), asthma (88%), and cardiovascular diseases are serious problems in their countries resulting from air pollution. Europeans are also worried about the environmental problems caused in water bodies by air pollution such as acidification and eutrophication (both 83%).

Nearly half of the respondents hold the view that that air quality has deteriorated in the last ten years (47%). This percentage is however an 11-point drop since 2019.

The Special Eurobarometer survey was conducted between 21 March and 20 April 2022. Some 26,509 respondents from different social and demographic groups were interviewed in their mother tongue, on behalf of the European Commission

The investigation is prompting the Commission to consider an “ambitious proposal to strengthen EU air quality standards”, according to Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.

Source: Zero Pollution: Europeans seriously worried about air quality and call for stronger action